November 26, 2011

The 2011 TAGIE Award Winners

The annual TAGIE awards have turned into not just an important night for recognizing those who invent toys and games but a very popular one. That was evidenced by what looked to be the almost 500 people crowded into the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry to honor the industry's toy and game inventors.

I had a number of people new to the event tell me that it felt like they were attending the Academy Awards. And I think that for those in attendance and those who won it was. These awards mean a great deal and that was brought home to me when Marty Abrams made his acceptance speech for winning, along with Joel Rosenzweig, the award for Excellence in Toy Design for their Fyr Flyz.

Marty Abram is a long time industry veteran. Yet, in his acceptance, Marty seemed truly moved by winning the award. So to Marty and the rest of this year’s winners, let me say on behalf of all of us in attendance, "well done."

Here are this year’s winners:

Young Inventor of the Year • Greyson MacLean for BrickStix

Excellence in Electronic Adaptation of an Existing Toy or Game • Tom Liddell for Top Trumps